Hartford Man Gets Four Years On Gun Conviction: Feds

HARTFORD, CT — A Hartford man was sent to prison Wednesday for illegally possessing a handgun, which was a violation of conditions for his supervised release on other charges.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, said Wednesday that Gabriel Horace Williams-Bey, 35, of Hartford, was sentenced todayby U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to four years of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

The sentence is in connection with illegally possessing a handgun and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Williams-Bey’s criminal history includes a state firearms conviction, multiple state narcotics convictions, and a federal narcotics conviction for which he was sentenced, in June 2016, to eight years of imprisonment and four years of supervised release.

Avery said he was released from federal prison in August 2021.

On June 30, 2022, Hartford police attempted to stop William-Bey’s vehicle.

Williams-Bey fled at a high rate of speed, was eventually caught by police, and then attempted to flee again on foot, according to authorities.

After Williams-Bey was apprehended, a search of his vehicle revealed a loaded semi-automatic handgun, officials said.

It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Williams-Bey has been detained in federal custody since July 12, 2022. On Oct. 5, 2023, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

Nagala sentenced Williams-Bey to 37 months of imprisonment for the firearm offense, and a consecutive 11 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release.

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